.... I love the look of stitches, the way thread marries the fabric ....

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Source for Swimwear Fabric

Can anyone help me here with a source for good swimwear fabric?

I regularly attend aquacise classes (3X per week) and bathing suits don't hold up very long in the chlorine. So I am thinking of making my own.

I am looking for fabric that will withstand the pool water for longer than the suits I have bought so far. Most suits are nylon/lycra and they either bag out or simply shred after about a month in the pool. The TYR suits sold at Sears are 100% polyester and they last, but right now they are not available in the local store and the ones in the catalog are pricey, plus can't be fitted in advance.

I have sewn swimwear before, so that doesn't intimidate me, but I don't know of any good sources for quality fabric. Please advise if you know of any online sources for fabric. Thanks.

7 comments:

Have you tried Spandex World? They have an enormous selection. If you have a tried and true swimsuit pattern, making your own is much cheaper than you can buy. Try putting in a full lining to help the suits last longer. A lady who sewed swimwear professionally told me that.

I checked out Spandex World. The shipping comes to $32.50 for just 3 yards of fabric, this is always the trouble with cross-border shopping - the cost of shipping is so high. I will see if I can find anything this side of the border, and keep this as a backup if I find nothing here in Canada.

Got this info from sewing blog Fehr Trade in UK, she makes some of her running gear from fabric she gets from www.suziespandex.com, located in Montreal. Haven't bought from them myself, though. Good luck, from TO.

Thanks for the sources, I will check them out. I think SuzieSpandex might just be wholesale however, their site doesn't seem to be for retail customers. If I find anything helpful, I will post it here.

Hi, Julie. Try Ann's Fabrics in Hamilton. They have an astounding array of swimwear fabrics and are very good about getting you what you want and shipping it to you. I shop there and stock up whenever I am in Hamilton and would not hesitate to order from them. The fellow I have dealt with is Franco but I think everyone there is great. They also carry swimwear lining and the special elastics for swimsuits. www.annsfabric.com